


Just another Tuesday

by Lady_Panda



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Arc Reactor, Arc Reactor Issues, Explosions, F/M, Female Tony Stark, Genderswap, Hospitals, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Hurt Tony Stark, Jealous Steve Rogers, Light Angst, Made Up Science, Medical Inaccuracies, Mentions of Afghanistan, Not Canon Compliant, Post-Avengers (2012), Protective Avengers, Protective Steve Rogers, Protective Team, Rule 63, Slow Build, Some Fluff, Team as Family, Tony Stark Still Has Arc Reactor, kind of, slow build Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, still not good at tagging, tagy may change
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-23
Updated: 2019-05-16
Packaged: 2020-01-25 13:14:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18575215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Panda/pseuds/Lady_Panda
Summary: We all have these moments where we question our life, why we do what we do and how we got into it. Lately, I had a lot of these moments. Like right now, kneeling in a gobble of green goo surrounded by giant pink bunnies.*NEW VERSION*





	1. How it all began ...

**Author's Note:**

> So this ist the new version of the story.  
> As mentioned in the old one, i would really appreciate it if you guys would give me some feedback, and maybe some ideas for future chapters 
> 
> As always,  
> R&R :)

 

Chapter 1: How it all began ...

 

We all have these moments where we question our life, why we do what we do and how we got into it. Lately, I had a lot of these moments. Like right now, kneeling in a gobble of green goo surrounded by giant pink bunnies.

 

It all began with Capsicle.

 

* * *

 

 

2 months prior

 

The day began pretty good for Toni. She had put up an all-nighter in the workshop, again, and managed to finish five projects for SI. The board wanted to keep up with the competition and wants to release like a dozen projects at once. Doesn’t matter if their boss suffers from it. Now, all she wanted were several cups of coffee (nothing against DUM-E’s smoothies, but no), go back down to the shop and then take a short nap. In that order.

But as always, someone thought it was a good idea to interrupt her plans.

And that someone was Steven Grant Rogers.

 

As Toni entered the kitchen, she was hoping for a hot, freshly brewed cup of coffee. But when she walked through the door, she was immediately confronted with Steve’s ‘Captain-America-is-disappointed-in-you-face’.

 

“Toni, when was the last time you slept?” It was kind of a rhetorical question. Everyone knew about Toni’s sleeping schedule.  
Steve took a look at the girl and could only shake his head. The genius looked like hell, like she was about to faint any minute. She had huge bags under her eyes and was barely able to stand straight. Steve wondered how she was even able to walk.

“A good morning to you, too, Spangles. It’s nice to see you, but how about you stay out of my life?” She wasn’t in the mood to deal with him. At least not before coffee number three. She decided to ignore him. She made a beeline for the coffee machine and poured herself a cup just to down it in one go.

 

“I normally try to, but you look like you are about to faint any second. Not to mention that you probably haven’t eaten in days!” How could this woman run a multi-billion-dollar company but on the same side is unable to take care of herself?

Okay, Toni thought, make that five coffees. She was about to get another cup when her phone started to ring.

A message from Pepper.  
 ~ Board meeting in two hours. If you don’t come I will make you! >:( ~

Oh oh. Angry smiley. Pepper never uses smileys unless she really wants to underline a point. Like right now. She probably already planned Toni’s upcoming death.

Great, as if her morning couldn’t get worse. Board-meeting. Just the thought made Toni being bored out of her mind. Meetings in general are tedious, but when the board is present, they are even worse. These guys just don’t care about anything accept money. And the public opinion of the company - hence money. Doesn’t matter if Toni has like a dozen jobs or that she wants to bring products on the market that don’t fail.

 

“Toni, are you even listening to me?” While he was waiting for an answer, Steve saw this look in Toni’s eyes. The look that means she’s thinking about anything but the matter at hand. He really started to get frustrated.

“Come on Cap, what is your problem? “Toni asked. She just wanted this morning to end. And there is only one way. It is time to piss Tightpants off.

“My problem is that you don’t want to listen! “

“Maybe I don’t want to listen because you don’t say things worth listening to. “

“Not worth list- it’s about the well-being of the team, Toni! I am the Captain and I have to be sure that we can count on you when it’s necessary. “

“I have a meeting now, oh mighty Captain, so if there isn’t anything worthwhile for you to add, I am off. “

“TONI! “

“Bye! “With that she grabbed another coffee and snuck into the elevator.

 

So, how did that led to giant pink balls of fluff, you ask? Well …

 

While Steve still tried to comprehend what just happened, Bruce and Natasha walked into the kitchen. “Unbelievable. That woman is simply unbelievable. How can she walk off like that? “he mumbled while making breakfast. Both could just sigh. It was always like that. Every day, Toni and Steve would bicker about something. No matter how minor it is. All of them were used to it by now. The team didn’t even try to be annoyed anymore.

“Steve, give her some slack. She does have a lot of responsibilities. “Bruce answered. He wasn’t looking forward to more fighting and yelling from these two. Especially in the morning. Can’t they just talk about things like normal people? “I know that she has a lot to do but it is necessary that she has her priorities right. As hard as it is to admit it, we need her on the field. “

 

Natasha became pretty good friends with Toni after she apologized for the ‘Iron Woman, yes. Toni Stark, not recommended’-stuff. She won’t have Steve talking about one of her friends like she’s something you have to tolerate. ‘“Maybe you should calm down first before you say more stupid things. You know Toni will be there when we need her. You’re just frustrated because she defies you whenever she can. Go for a run, punch the hell out of one of your punching bags. “She suggested. “And you should really watch what you’re saying.”

 

That was, when the Avengers-alarm went off.  J.A.R.V.I.S. put on the holo-screens. Apparently, some kids had too much free time and let a bunch of pink bunnies loose.

“Toni just went out and now the alarm. What did you say about her always being there?” It was a wonder that Steve was able to get even more annoyed.

Bruce just gave Steve a look. As if Toni wouldn’t use any chance to get out of a meeting.

“Never mind. Natasha, get Clint. Suit up in fifteen minutes. Bruce, I don’t think this is a Code Green, but be on call.”

With that they went on getting everything ready.

 

* * *

 

 

‘That idiot of Capsicle! Did his time in ice burnt out all off his brain cells? That guy is in no way the man Aunt Peggy told me stories about.’ Toni was furious. Not only did she had to endure one of Rogers speeches, nooo, she had a board meeting now.

She didn’t want to go but Pepper would have her if she blew it off. Toni did not think a Louboutin heel sticking out of her head would suit her.

 

As expected, the meeting was tedious. And we’re talking here about the first five minutes. There’s no way this could get any better. All the board did was nag at her for taking so much time. Toni actually had the, though fleeting, thought that she rather get yelled at by Spangles.

So, she tried to figure a way out of this, while also telling the board to fuck up and ‘yes, I am a woman but also smarter than you and even more capable to run this company than all of you old geezers combined’. But for some reason even pissing of the board didn’t managed to lift her mood.

 

That’s when the alarm in her phone went off and J.A.R.V.I.S. send her a text about the situation. Was it bad that she silently thanked New York for getting attacked?

“Well, gentleman, as captivating as it is, there’s an emergency. I am deeply sorry, but I have to go.’’

Toni left the room and told J.A.R.V.I.S to send her a suit.

As soon as it arrived, she stepped in it and took off.


	2. Chapter 2

 

The battle didn’t last long. The kids that caused all this had gotten hold of an old magical book and thought it was a good idea to try some of the spells out. Rogers was punishing them with his ‘Captain-America-is-disappointed-in-you’ face and a nice speech while the others helped the locals cleaning up.

“Why bunnies? I mean, seriously, how about fire-breathing dragons or giant spiders? How can someone think bunnies would be threatening? Next time, they should give them laser beams or stuff like that.” Barton was sulking because the call came in the middle of one of his computer games and he didn’t even have the time to save the game.

“Stop sulking, idiot, and do something useful. We do not need another bored child running around.”

“Hey!’’

“Suck it up, bird-brain. I won’t survive another one of Spangles speeches about ‘unprofessional behaviour’. “Toni was so done with the day.

 

The battle started like any other. The team arrives, Cap gives orders, Toni ignores them and so on.

While Rogers ranted about following the plan, he missed one of the bunnies – and Toni will never let him live that down- when it suddenly started to explode.

Yes, you heard right. Exploding bunnies.

Luckily, it didn’t do much damage with Rogers being a super-soldier and all.

But guess who he blamed for it? Apparently, it was Toni’s job to watch his back. It didn’t matter that she was saving civilians out of an apartment building. No, again, it was her fault.  
She started to get sick of always being the scapegoat. She already blamed herself for the weapons and all the innocent lives they took.

 

The only good thing was that these little rats saved her from a tedious meeting.

“Madame, you have a message from Miss Potts.”

Oh god.

 

* * *

 

 

“Stark! Stark!”

 

“What do you think I did this time, Brucie-bear?”

 

Bruce chuckled. He and Toni were at the lab working on some Hulk-proof trousers. They didn’t need another newspaper headline with a photo of a nude Bruce Banner in the middle of debris. They actually made some progress before Steve came bursting into the lab demanding to talk to Toni.

“Do you want an honest answer or a nice one?’’ Bruce chuckled.

“Yeah, yeah. I get it.’’ There was no need to point out all the stuff she does wrong. Steve does that often enough. “Sooo, what can I do for you today, Spangles?”

 

“We need to talk.’’

“Uhhh, you’re already breaking up with me? I’m heart-broken.”

“Quit it, Stark. You weren’t at the post-battle debriefing.”

“And? Brucie wasn’t there either.”

“Because he didn’t fight in the battle. You were. And not only were you fighting, you didn’t follow my orders again. If it would have been Natasha or Clint, they’d be dead by now.”

“Are you talking about the bunny you missed? I was saving other people’s lifes!”

“I only missed it because I thought you had my back!”

 

Bruce sighed. This looked like it would be ending in a big fight. All he wanted was to work in silence.

“Steve, I agree that Toni should have gone to the debrief, but she never does. So, it’s not surprising especially since you two fought over this like a million times. We already talked about this in the kitchen this morning. If you would take a second and think back, you should know that Toni had an important meeting. Miss Potts must have delayed it after the Avengers alarm had gone off. Could you just please let it go? And in Toni’s defence, if it was any one’s fault it was yours because you missed the robot. “

 

Toni looked at Bruce like he had grown a second head. ‘Normally no one defends me in front of Cap. Brucie-bear is the best!’.

 

“He’s right Stevie-boy. Pepper did delay the meeting. When I finally got home again Brucie asked me if I could help him with his pants. In the non-sexual, scientific way of course.”

Steve looked at Toni, then at Bruce and saw that he had no chance of winning against these geniuses.

 

“Fine, I let it go. But only this time. As a member of this team it’s your duty to come to meetings.”

“Thanks Spangles.”

“Don’t call me that.”

“What? You don’t like it? How about Boy Scout? No? Wonder Boy? Captain Righteousness? Mr Apple Pie?”

 

While Steve wondered how this woman could be so aggravating, Toni tried to think of something that makes more fun than riling the Captain up. None came up, well, none that involves clothes. “None of those. No nicknames. Just call me Rogers. Or Captain.”

 

Okay, that hurt. She knew Rogers wasn’t her biggest fan but last-name-basis, really?

 

“Well, Captain Rogers, I have a lot to do. So, if you both would excuse me.’’ Toni looked at Bruce, then at Steve before she walked out of the lab. She made a beeline to the elevator that would bring her to her workshop. And hopefully a bottle of scotch.

 

Steve watched Toni leave and tried to figure out what he did this time. He looked at Bruce with the hope of an explanation. Said man could only sigh. The rumours that Steve couldn’t talk to women were apparently well founded.

 

“You should have told her to call you Steve.”


	3. Chapter 3

Toni was furious on her way down to her shop. Not only did Rogers ruin her childhood, her life now too. And this time on purpose. So much for being a team and trusting each other.  No excuse of being an ice cube this time. He’s awake too long to use the whole ‘frozen-in-ice-bullshit’. Jarvis opened the doors for her, and she quickly went to the bar and grabbed a bottle of her best scotch. She opened it and took a long swig. At least this friend never lets her down.

 

‘That idiot should just leave! Why couldn’t he just leave? Wait, she owned the building…why hadn’t she thrown him out already?’ Why did she invite him in the first place? Right, for the sake of the team. Bullshit.

“J, lock down. I don’t want so to see anybody right now. And make a note to throw the Captain out.”

“Of course, madam.”

 

After the first bottle was empty, she took the next one. And the next one. This went on for about an hour when suddenly …

 

“Madame, Miss Potts wishes to enter.”

“Tell her to go away.”

“She said she will use her override codes.”

“I said – oh, hi Pep!”

 

Pepper wanted to yell at Toni, because she ignored the deadline for the new StarkPhone again. But when she saw Toni lying there on the couch, completely wasted, she could only muster a disappointed look.

 

“Toni, how long did you make it this time?” She asked with a shake of her head.

“Don’ know. Ma’e a week?” Pepper sighed. “Let me guess, you had a fight with your Captain again?”

“No’ my Capn’.” Looking at all the empty liquor bottles lying around and Toni’s slur she had been drinking for a while. Again, Pepper just shook her head.

“He is. And as hard as it may be for the both of you, you have to try to get along.”

 

Pepper didn’t know what to do with these two anymore. She hates Ironwoman and wants nothing more than for her friend to leave the team. But she also knows that Toni would never do that. She tried, for Peppers sake, but she couldn’t stay away for long.

 

“Pep, I’m serisly no’ in the moo fo’ a pep-talk. Hehe, got it? Pep-talk?”

“You know what? This is pointless when you`re drunk like this. I’ll come back tomorrow, but then we will definitely talk!”

And with that Pepper left.

 

“Hey, J’? Pull my la’ts project up.”

“Madame, I do not think that working would be in your best interest now. Remember the incident in 2007?”

“That was ‘n accid’nt! And i’ was DUM-E’s fault. Now be quiet an’ let mommy work’’

 

Holo-screens appeared with the requested specs on it. It was an upgrade for her suit. The idea was that it would automatically come to Toni if she were in danger. Like when she gets thrown out of a window by a mad demigod. J.A.R.V.I.S may be fast, but that was a little too close in her opinion.

 

Toni went right to work and was so engrossed in her tinkering that she stopped being aware of her surroundings.

 

After a couple of hours J.A.R.V.I.S’s frantically tried to get her attention. He tried everything from changing the music to flashing lights.

When he finally managed for her to look up it was too late. There was a loud bang and Toni got thrown across the room by an enormous explosion.

 

As she was lying on the floor, all Toni could think of was …

 

Heat. Pain. In her chest.

 

Afghanistan

 

And then darkness.

 

* * *

 

 

Beep…

Beep…

Beep…

 

A steady rhythm what should be soothing but … God was it annoying!

 

Toni tried to focus on something else, but there wasn’t much. She was barely able to hold on to her consciousness but after a couple of more beep-beep-beep-filled minutes she managed to crack her eyes a bit open.

All she could see was white. White walls, white ceiling …. white.

A hospital, Toni concluded. Okay, that left a multiple of possibilities.

She could a) got hurt in a battle, b) had an accident in the lab/workshop or c) she drunk herself comatose. Again.

She could rule a) out. She was not nearly in enough pain for that. For c) she felt not enough like shit.

That leaves her with b) – lab accident. She tried to remember what happened.

She had a fight with Steve, eh Rogers. And then she argued with Pepper … wasn’t Bruce there?

Did she had a fight with Bruce, too? Wasn’t there some loud bang?

Irghs, she started to get a headache. What’s saying a lot considering that one of the many things the doctors must have hooked her up should probably be painkillers.

 

Toni tried to move to get out of there. She tried to sit up, but the moment she moved her head she felt a piercing pain. Okay, getting up is not an option. She settled down again and tried to calm down in hope it would help with the headache. After some time, it worked and she fell back asleep.

The next time she woke up she already felt a bit better. The painkillers must have finally kicked in. Again, she tried to sit up, but all of sudden there were arms grapping her shoulders and gently pushing her down on the bed. Where did the arms come from? Toni took a closer look and the arms were attached to big hands. Her eyes went from them to two, very muscular, arms to a pair of broad shoulders. And then she saw a blond mop.

 

A blond mop with two stunningly blue eyes. Eyes that looked at her with their famous disappointment.

 

Great. Even in a hospital I can’t escape the blame.


	4. Chapter 4

Steve was sitting on the couch on the communal floor. The TV was running but he barely paid attention to it. In fact, he couldn’t even tell what was on if someone asked.

The only thing on his mind was his fight with Toni.

 

Toni …

 

After all this time and what they’ve been through, he thought he got the hang out of talking to her.

Apparently not. No matter how many times he tried to have a civil conversation with her they ended up fighting. He wasn’t even trying to rile her up, but he seems to push her buttons even though he wasn’t trying to. He actually tried to avoid those.

He didn’t actually blame her for what happened in the battle. But having a bunny explode right next to you nearly killing you … well even Captain America can be a bit shaken.  
He knows that this isn’t a n excuse but that’s really all he’s got.

 

He really couldn’t talk to women. Especially mouthy brunettes who are probably the smartest person on the planet. And richest, not to forget. (Seriously, how can someone have so much money?)

How was he to know what topics to avoid? Toni barely talks about herself. Wait, didn’t Natasha say something about Toni’s file? Maybe he should take a closer look to it.

Having made a decision, he made his way to SHIELD.

* * *

 

He went straight to the file room.

Stark …, Stark…, …

Huh, there was no file. He kept looking for it. He even looked under A in case she was filed under her first name, but no, nothing.

Maybe the Avengers files are stored somewhere else.

Let’s see. He found Bruce’s file and Clint’s. Even his own. But where was Toni’s?

Maybe he should ask Fury. As the director he should know where it is.

 

In front of Fury’s office sat Agent Hill, but even she merely raised an eye brow and told him her boss was free.

 

Entering the office he saw Fury was on the phone. So much for being free. Maybe he and Hill had a fight, who knows? He honestly couldn’t care less.

Fury looked at him and simply raised his one eye brow. Does he has one or two, Steve wondered.

Not that he would ever ask. He would leave that to Toni. Insulting people with appearing-to-be-innocent-questions is her field of expertise.

 

Steve waited until the call ended. After just barging into his office this is the least he could do. The moment Fury put his phone down Steve started talking.

 

“Director, I would like to have a look into Toni’s file.” “May I ask why?”

Steve wondered why he would be asked that question. Toni is part of his team. He should have access on information of her.

 

“Simple curiosity. She is a team member and I like to know about her. I’m living with her after all.” Steve answered.

Fury just looked at him. “Why don’t you ask her yourself then? I think she can give you better insight than her file would. Or look her up on online. I assume you know how to use Google?”

Steve sighed. “Sir, I know first hand that not everything people write about yourself is true. I rather have facts than whatever the papers made up.” There are a lot of stories about Captain America, and not all of them are true. Sometimes he wonders how people can come up with that stuff.

Why won’t Fury just give him the file? What could possibly be in it that he needs to ask the director himself to get it.

 

“Besides, Director, we’re talking about Toni. You know she won’t tell me anything. If you haven’t noticed we don’t have that close of a relationship. And, well, she’s Toni.”

 

“So you want to read it to get closer to her? Or are you planning something else?”

 

“I’m not planning anything.” Steve started to feel a little lost. What on earth should he be planning to do?” With all due respect, sir, but why won’t you give me her file? I couldn’t find it in the file room. I worry about Toni and the fact that you hide her file because of whatever is in there does not sooth those worries.”

 

Fury sighed and looked at him.

 

“Captain, if Stark haven’t told you about it she doesn’t want you to know. And if she doesn’t want you to know it’s not my place to tell.”

 

“Fury, I already had a look into her file right before the Chitauri invasion. Why can’t I get it now?”

 

“Because it was an emergency. You needed to know about the people you fought with. It also was only a brief overview, so you knew who you were dealing with.” Fury said.” And if you read it already you should know the important stuff. So why want to have it now? Give me a good reason and you get it, else you’re wasting my time.”

 

Fury looked at Steve in a way that made clear he wouldn’t be convinced to hand him the file.

Steve didn’t know what else to say. While he made his way back to the tower he thought about what Fury said. Not the stuff about how Toni don’t want us to know everything or that Steve should already know. No, what really puzzled him is why the director wanted to know why he wants to get his hands on the file. Fury seemed almost protective of Toni. But he and Toni are always fighting and Toni does everything in her power to piss the director off. Wait, didn’t she also does that with Steve. And they don’t hate each other. At least he doesn’t hate her. Maybe she doesn’t like him. Considering all the things she did it kind of makes sense. But on the other hand it doesn’t. She did gave him a home, helped him acclimating to the future …

Toni really is an enigma.

Steve was so engrossed with his thoughts he didn’t realized he stopped walking and stood in the hallway for possibly some time now.

Right when he continued making his way back home, his phone started ringing.

He looked at the caller ID. It was Natasha. He wasn’t really in the mood to talk to anyone. All this thinking about Toni made his head hurt.He answered nonetheless.

 

“Hey, Natasha. What’s up?”

 

“Don’t whats-up me. Get your ass back to the tower. Now.”

 

That got Steve’s attention.

 

“I’m already on the way. Why? What happened?”

 

“There was an accident in the workshop. I don’t know what exactly happened except that Toni is in the med-bay.”

 

He got a bad feeling. Toni being in the med-bay means it’s bad. She normally gets out of there before she even gets in. Why is all he can do recently is worry about that woman?

 

“Do you know how bad it is?”

 

“No, they won’t tell me anything. Not even when I threatened them.” There was definitely a pout behind those words. “They will only tell you, the team leader, because of patient confidentiality.”

 

“I’m at SHIELD right now. I’ll be there in about half an hour.”

 

“Hurry up. You know I don’t like not-knowing what’s going on.”


End file.
